Missouri Compromise and Kansas-Nebraska Act

        The Missouri Compromise was an act that was passed in 1820. It's primary goal was to balance the free states and slave states which were the North and South. Missouri wanted to join the United States but then the free and slave states would be unbalanced. On January 26th, 1820 Missouri was allowed into the Union as a slave state. To make sure there was an equal balance, the northern part of Massachusetts entered the United States and became Maine.

        The Kansas-Nebraska act went into place in 1854. Its main reason was to build a transcontinental railroad that goes from the east to the west. It was created by Stephen A. Douglas and also created the states of Kansas and Nebraska. Each state had the choice of becoming a free state or slave state. This act created arguments because the states were North of the 36 30 Parallel where slavery was outlawed. The North was outraged by this. This act was another thing which added more tension between the North and the South and then eventually led to the Civil War.